Checklist for Success: A Pilot's Guide to the Successful Airline Interview

By Cheryl A. Cage

Even with a wealth of technical experience, many pilots find the pilot selection process frustrating. In addition to technical experience today’s airline pilot must also demonstrate highly developed leadership, decision-making and communication skills. Discussing one’s abilities in these introspective areas requires a different kind of preparation than most pilots have experienced.

This is where Checklist for Success comes in. Written by Cheryl Cage, whose name has become synonymous with exceptional career guidance, Checklist takes you from application through to the interview. Cheryl not only offers a step-by-step interview preparation program, but illustrates her points clearly by stepping aside often to reflect on her own experiences in counseling aspiring pilots, furloughed pilots, and career changers. The program Cheryl provides in Checklist will help lower your stress level and shorten the time it takes to reach your highest career goals.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 1, 2020
• ISBN: 9781619549463

Book preview

Checklist for Success: A Pilot’s Guide to the Successful Airline Interview

Seventh Edition

Cheryl A. Cage

Aviation Supplies and Academics, Inc.

7005 132nd Place SE

Newcastle, WA 98059-3153

[e-mail] | www.asa2fly.com

© 1994–2020 Cheryl Cage

Seventh Edition published 2020 by Aviation Supplies & Academics, Inc.

1994–2002 Editions published by Cage Consulting, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the author.

Disclaimer: This book is a general information book on preparing for an airline pilot interview. It is understood that the information contained in this book does not guarantee success. The author and publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

ASA-CKLIST-7-EB

ISBN 978-1-61954-946-3

Print Book ISBN 978-1-61954-945-6

To Young

For your never-ending encouragement.

What People Say!

Mr. Don Skiados, Director

Air Line Pilots Association Communications Dept.

As director of communications for the Air Line Pilots Association, the nation’s largest trade union for professional airline pilots, I have had the pleasure of doing business with Cage Consulting, Inc. since its founding in 1988. And as a professional communicator myself for more than 30 years, I know the kind of quality products its founder, Cheryl Cage, delivers.

Her name has become synonymous with providing exceptional quality career guidance, from the interview process to keeping an individual’s career progression on track. Her popular seminars draw on her vast knowledge and thorough preparation and provide information in a comfortable, friendly atmosphere. Checklist for Success, her book on the (pilot) interview process, has become the definitive how-to manual for our members, and she pioneered in the industry with the first interactive CD interview preparation guide. Our Association values the relationship we have established with Cage Consulting.

Captain Jim West

Allied Pilots Association—National Membership/Furlough Committee

With over 2,000 American Airlines Pilots and their families’ lives being changed with their furlough notice from American Airlines, APA’s National Membership/Furlough Committee hosted Cage Seminars for our Furloughed Pilots. All who attended found the information very useful and the one thing I noticed at the completion of the seminars was that the pilots felt more confident about their future. Unlike other Aviation Consulting Firms, Cheryl has developed a seminar that provides the necessary tools to help pilots find employment in other fields while awaiting recall to the cockpit. I strongly recommend anyone who is facing the possibility of a furlough to contact Cage Consulting. The information gained is invaluable.

Captain David Smith

Chairman, United Airlines Pilot Council 33

I wanted to send you a big thank you for the exceptional work you and your company accomplished on behalf of the United Airline’s furloughed pilots. Your seminar entitled The Resilient Pilot was very well received. The feedback from the attendees included noting of the relaxed atmosphere, the interactive approach, and the real-life solutions that were provided to the participants. It is quite obvious that the perceived value of furloughee seminars to this pilot group. Thanks again for your time and effort in making this seminar happen.

Patty Taylor

Former Manager of Pilot Recruitment, American Airlines

Because of Cheryl’s excellent reputation in the aviation industry, in equal parts because of her books and her consulting services, Cheryl’s name is always a draw. And, audiences are never disappointed! Cheryl’s advice, enthusiasm, and optimism keeps the audiences’ attention. Her easy-going style encourages members of the audience (no matter how shy) to feel comfortable asking questions and voicing concerns. I wholeheartedly recommend Cheryl as a speaker for any aviation, or general audience, career conference.

Captain Christopher Beebe

Chairman USAirways Master Executive Council (ALPA)

I hired Ms. Cage to conduct Airline Interview Preparation and Resume Workshops for US Airways. Her workshops were thorough, organized, filled with specific ideas and suggestions, and delivered with optimism and motivation. Ms. Cage has a personality that invites openness and discussion. With her innate ability to assess personal situations, years of aviation involvement and education, Cheryl is well qualified to discuss today’s airline interviewing process.

Captain Al Neil

American Airlines

Thank you for your excellent presentation. As a mentor and mentor coordinator, sometimes I get bogged down with the responsibility, but when I hear an organized, well-thought-out approach to problems it sure takes a load off my mind. I am deeply grateful.

CageMarshall Consulting

www.cageconsulting.com

Foreword

I have had the honor of participating in the hiring program for a major airline for almost twenty years. During that period of time I have found that, for a pilot applicant, the most difficult step of the selection process is the interview phase. You might wonder why an applicant with superb technical skills and excellent experience is turned down due to an inability to interview successfully. In Checklist for Success you will learn why airlines consider the interview phase of the selection process to be such an important step in the overall evaluation of applicants. Let me quote a very compelling paragraph found in this book: …solid technical skills do not always guarantee the best overall candidate. For example, in one National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) investigation, over 60 accidents where crew-coordination played a significant role were studied…Common factors among these accidents included: preoccupation with minor technical problems, inadequate leadership, failure to delegate tasks and assign responsibilities, failure to set priorities, inadequate monitoring, failure to utilize available data, and failure to communicate intent and plans. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) estimates that these ‘human factors’ contribute to 70% to 80% of airplane crashes.

Over the years I’ve had the opportunity to talk to a number of candidates about the employment process, some after an unsuccessful interview. All of the advice that I could provide is contained in this book in a very well written format. Your careful reading and study of this material, although it cannot guarantee success, will certainly enhance your chances.

Let me provide one other very important quote from the book: An employee with a positive attitude is invaluable to any employer…A positive attitude lays the groundwork for good communication and positive team interaction.

Again, this is very sound advice and is exactly what we are looking for in the hiring process.

By considering Checklist for Success you have taken an important step toward improving your competitiveness, which will increase your chances of being hired into one of the most rewarding, best professions available.

W. H. Traub

Vice President

Flight Standards and Training (Ret.)

United Airlines

Introduction to the Seventh Edition

It is one of the great joys of my life that I seem to have written a book, and provided services, that have helped people achieve their goals a little quicker and with a bit less stress. The fact that my work continues to be relevant after 31 years is an added bonus. This seventh edition of Checklist for Success is updated with different ways to uncover your stories and more tips to help you alleviate simple, but damaging, mistakes.

But I did not do it alone. I had the partnership of Angie Marshall who took over as President of Cage Marshall Consulting in 2004. Angie was Cage Consulting’s second employee back in 1994 (I was the first) and we’ve been together ever since. Angie is, without a doubt, one of the main reasons Cage Marshall Consulting has survived for over 31 years.

During my time away (working in politics and slogging through the death of my husband) I never, not for one millisecond, worried about the business. Angie cared for each and every client with dedication and kindness. The business not only survived, but dramatically thrived under Angie’s leadership.

I also want to thank all our clients, past and future. It is a real pleasure to work with such dedicated, smart and motivated individuals.

Safe travels,

Cheryl Cage

Tucson, Arizona

2020

Introductions Through the Years

First Edition (1994)

The decision to write this workbook came from a simple, but difficult situation. In 1988, I developed an Airline Pilot Interview Preparation Program. Happily, this program seemed to bring success to more than a few of my clients. Through referrals from this first